Clinical Spectrum of Endoscopic Reflux Esophagitis in Routine Check-Up Subjects in Korea

Oh, Jung Hwan; Choi, Myung Gyu; Kim, Hye Rang; Park, Jae Myung; Paik, Chang Nyol; Lee, Joon Wook; Cho, Yu Kyung; Jun, Eun Jung; Jeong, Jeong Jo; Lee, In Seok; Kim, Sang Woo; Choi, Sang Wook; Han, Sok Won; Chung, In Sik

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: As little is known about asymptomatic patients with erosive reflux esophagitis, this study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of subjects with erosive reflux esophagitis who were diagnosed by endoscopy in a routine health check-up program.
METHODS
We prospectively recruited the subjects who had erosive reflux esophagitis (> or =LA grade A) among those who visited a health promotion center for routine check-up. We performed a case-control study to evaluate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of reflux esophagitis.
RESULTS
The enrolled study participants comprised 264 subjects with erosive reflux esophagitis and 245 healthy controls. All subjects with erosive esophagitis had LA grade A (85%) or B (15%). Eighty percent of all subjects (N=264) with erosive esophagitis did not have frequent reflux symptoms. Using a multiple logistic regression analysis, erosive reflux esophagitis was associated with smoking (odds ratio (OR), 2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.7-4.4), and BMI (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3). Subjects with symptomatic erosive esophagitis had higher psychosomatic symptom scores than asymptomatic subjects did.
CONCLUSIONS
Only 20% of subjects who were diagnosed with erosive esophagitis at their routine check-up had frequent reflux symptoms. Symptomatic erosive esophagitis was associated with psychological factor.